Tuesday, 30 December 2014

I went to the club on Sunday and played a board game. Whilst there I was asked why I had not put the last club game on the blog and was it because I lost. Simply put If I only put games on the blog that I won there would be none on here at all. So here we go!

We played a game of "Longships" By Peter Pig. Graham was kind enough to act as a referee. Tim and I teamed up to play the Vikings. While Matt and Colin played the defending Anglo Saxons. Rather than a Raid we were doing a big battle with the aim being to take the ridge.

Graham supplied all the models, the rules and all the terrain. He did even supply some handy hints to both sides as well. Next time Tim and Myself might listen... live and learn then forget it all when my head touches the pillow!

The hill counted as steep so we stopped short and chucked a few spears and insults at the Saxons. That had very limited success they were not coming off the hill. They did kindly chuck our spears back though. (Thanks guys)

Tim was the first to try attacking the hill. He was beaten bounced of the saxon shield wall and was pushed back.

The tactic was repeated by Tim with similar effects but slightly better each time as we were at least killing a few of them. Problem was they were killing more of us!

I got a unit to form a boar snout*. We went up the hill pushing and shoving in this wedge formation. Colin rolled the dice and did massive damage to my unit. But the formation meant that I could make him re-roll the dice, or I could. Yeah no way I was going to match his score in a month of Sundays so I made him re-roll. He did and still rolled well but not quite as well as last time. But well enough to force me of the hill. Curses!

A couple more assaults by both me and Tim. And the saxon unit on our right was getting a licking but still holding, just.

Tim doggedly continues and finally manages to take one section of the hill. (Just 3 more to go)

One of Tims Units so battered routes from the table. The bad news is that one of mine followed it as I had a very bad dice roll. Opps.

Matt decides to come of the hill to finish my remaining unit. While his an Colins other units stay on the hill just to make sure we did not take it! Fat chance of that.

The battle off of the hill lasted a couple of turns in which time Tim moved further along the hill.

The Battle off the hill was quite evenly matched but for once the dice favoured me. (Fighting on the hill did seem to Give the defenders a big advantage, although I am sure they did not thing the advantage to great).

Eventually I did manage to beat Matts unit. It had started the game as armoured elite, but Tim had weakened it with hit attacks so was now comparable with my own. Yeah me I won a fight! As Matts unit thought better of it and quit the battlefield.

Tim moves his unit even further along the hill and threatens Colins weakened unit. Too little too late as Colin and Matt were able to bring on tier reserves. We had reached the countdown and decided to go for just one more turn. (In these rules there is a trade off you can extend the game if you want but doing so takes victory points from you).

Matt and Colin were able to retake most of the now empty hill. Curses!

We all packed away as Graham worked out the victory points. the result was a major Viking Defeat. Well done Colin and well done Matt.

Tim summed the game up with the following quote " Lady luck raised her skirts for us and then called us perverts!"

Saturday, 27 December 2014

Boy! is it cold up that garage! Yes it is that time of the week again for another turn. And as you can see from the turn sequence it did come out in a remarkable even way this time.

As aleways I have started with an overall shot than then worked from left hand closest the land towards the front and then anticlockwise but this time only as far as the front.

HMS Inconsistent gets underway with a single mast. This ship is now in Spanish control as the Spanish flag has been raised and the Union Jack lowered.

HMS Cutlass was able to cross the T and bow rake the "San Francis" All the while HMS Agamennon fired a full broadside into the poor ship. Which is still afloat despite a direct hit to the powder store. (Red Joker Damage card was drawn).

Mecedes sails back across the middle of the table and with HMS Pachyderm with problems of her own may just make it to freedom and the merchant ships in the Med!

El Interceptor makes exactly the right move and IF the cards are favourable next turn will bow rake HMS Pachyderm with a complete intact undamaged broadside at point blank range. (Needing 2+ to hit with each firepower factor and causing double damage.

Unicornico facing directly into the wind issued no turn orders so simply drifted in the tides and currents while the drinks cabinet was re-stocked!

Just one lucky shot and it is all over for Lucky Lee. Or Lee could go for the ram!

Well folks that's it for another week. I shall issue damage reports to all the ships either later today or by midday Monday.

Monday, 22 December 2014

Well here are some more from the Analogue painting challenge. !2 28mm ACW Plastic Perry miniatures. I managed to source these from young Ray with some of my Birthday money. Despite the fact that I gave up Birthdays many years ago people still insist on presents cards and making a fuss when all I really want is to forget all about it!

So please do not offer my any congratulations or best wishes or anything like that.

Anyway these are for me to try out the "Songs of Drums and Shakos "rules. Yes I am aware that the rules are for Napoleonic period and these were about 50 years out of period, but the basic rules should work very well. At least I hope so.

Not so much more to say about these. Perry miniatures, hard plastic easy to put together and fun to paint about covers it. I have some Rebs on the painting table at the moment so I would expect to get them finished by Tuesday next week.

Not drawing this out, thanks for looking and more again soon. Have some fun and paint some figures.

Saturday, 20 December 2014

Another one of those turns with NO Spanish ships shooting. Mind you only 2 British ships HMS Cutlass and HMS Agamemnon.

Most ships are seriously depleted now and any one could collapse (sink) from exhaustion. Most if not all are very battered.

The turn sequence was a nice mix which did result in long range shooting but nothing at all close. But Damage was done. Sometimes just long range shooting will weaken a ship just enough to make it easy pickings. Other times it just won't!

Well we should all know the format by now. First the Ariel view, then working anticlockwise from back left to front right. WE reall have done it a load of times now so I expect you Know the routine better than me.

While Unicornico faces into the wind this turn safe in the knowledge that no British ships are in range. HMS Badger recovers from the collision with HMS Inconsistent. Crew can be seen untangling the rigging but no other details are apparent. Was Hms Badger playing possum?

HMS Cutlass tries and very nearly succeeds in crossing the T of San Francis. While HMS Agamemnon and Cutlass empty shot into the Spanish vessel without reply. (The Spanish shooting was before movement so the damage was long range as the pictures are taken after all the runs actions are completed).

El Interceptor and Mecedes both head out to sea with only HMS Pachyderm able to intervene. But the condition of the Pachyderm (Packy to the crew) is uncertain. But then again Captain Hadley does not know the condition of the 2 Spanish ships.

At the end of movement El interceptor was now in extreme range. But neither ship was within arch of fire. This has the potential of another T being crossed If the right and wrong moves are made be any ship.

With the end of this turn I would say that the British have just about become even with the Spanish fleet. Next turn may be pivotal. Or it might be a damp squib!

As ever if you need more Photos drop me a line. And next turn will be next Saturday 8am please. As I like to get all the turn processed in the hours of Darkness so as not to Impede my painting!

I WILL SEND OUT DAMAGE REPORTS ON SUNDAY> Please do not send any turn back until they are received or anytime after that..

To be honest I did expect this game to be over by Christmas, Looks like I got that wrong. Milsey has also suggested I write this up for the Wargames Bloggers Quarterly (WBQ). I guess he means a "How to run a Play-by-blog game and not and AAR! I might be interested in doing that if you think it would have any value and be worth reading. I am flattered to be asked though! (Cheers Milsey).

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Ok No Tolkien, Hobbit, Lord of the rings or even party. There was an unexpected Present though! Which is as good if not better, as I have always found parties to be a disappointment. While Presents are a joy to both give and receive. No It was not a secret Santa or anything like that. (well it might be but so secret that I don't know about it at all).

Yesterday I received a parcel. "Strange" I thought as it was not in an amazon box. "I have not sent for anything!" Ok I have sent for a few things from the North Pole if you are reading this James! So despite the postman saying it had been ticking I ripped into it. It did not explode!

It was from "Mantic" and was the last part of a "Kickstarter" I backed last year. I had already received some soldiers from them "Enforcers" and I must admit I was disappointed with the sculpts and the quality of the plastic and the flash that just would not come of easily even with a sharp knife. So truth to admit when that lot arrived I was totally gutted but I put it down to a bad experience and vowed never to do another crowd funding scheme.

Then yesterday fresh sculpts in decent plastics did turn up. No explanation just a new product. I must say it may well be on their web site but I was so disappointed last year I have not looked since. No I don't forgive or forget easily.

Still smile on my face now and I may get these painted up soon. Not sure anyone at the club will be playing the game now so it might be too little too late. But better late than never! I will get them done and then see what I think and if anyone is still playing!

That's it for today folks. Only 6 sleeps till the big day as I am sure those of you with kids will know by now. So take care have fun and paint up some figures. I know I will.

Analogue Painting challenge update:

I hope to finish 10 cavalry finished by Saturday and will then start some 28mm Reb infantry which I will try to get done for my posting day of Tuesday. It will be a push but I hope to get it all done. But the cavalry do have priority so until I finish them nothing else will get done.

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Slowly (very slowly) increasing my WW2 20mm figures we have today another of the LRDG. Yes this time a jeep as opposed to a truck. I bought this one from Andy Grub (AKA Grubby Tanks) then promptly lost a wheel between the floor boards so If you look closely one wheel is different as Tim (Frontline) was kind enough to supply a spare one.

This vehicle was actually painted twice as it just looked too clean and tidy the first time and I wanted it to look rough and dodgy. (That's my excuse and I am sticking to it). As you can see the 2 crew have 3 machineguns. A lewis in the back and twin Vickers K's at the front for the co-driver. I did put all three of them on as I did not want you all saying it was undergunned! Come on we both know you would have!

This has already been on the Analogue painting challenge (Late last week) so it's about time it did make it here as well. The kit is mostly resin with some air bubbles and metal and did, apart from me loosing a piece go together with no difficulty. Nearly all the stowage is part of the same one piece resin casting just a sack or tarp added to cover air bubbles.

Patrol leaders did sometimes use jeeps as opposed to the more normal Chevrolet light truck so we have to assume the co-driver is the team leader and as such some junior officer. Given that the LRDG was mostly concerned with "Road watches" patrols were usually quite small but as they were often out for weeks at a time everything had to be carried on whatever vehicle they were using. So everything to get you there and back, all the food and water you would need and ammunition and repair kits as well as tarpulins and blankets to keep you warm at night watching a very boring road in the small hours without being able to leave your position and yet still stop any trucks moving without lights in the dark.

Well that's it for today. I shall be working on some more "Paint monkey" figures for the painting challenge and Matt for the next few days so I will post the AAR of the game I lost at the Club on Sunday soon.

All the best for now seasons greetings and all that malarkey. Have a good day and all that and with luck see you back here soon.

Saturday, 13 December 2014

Gain very little firing this time, Just two British ships. But It has been eventful despite that. As you can see the turn sequence favoured the Spanish. But alas when they came to shoot not a single target was in arc. Also lots of players did not send any orders in so they just continued in a straight line. One captain sent in about 5 emails. No problem with that at all as It makes intentions clear and allows me to work to them more closely.

We are used to this shot by now. As You can see all the action is all over the place.

HMS Badger Commanded by the valiant crew of "Mecedes" Rammed HMS Inconsistent further damaging both ships. But has now come to rest lying along side one another. A risky but hopefully profitable manoeuvre. In the background "Unicorico" is turning back towards port maybe returning home. Who can tell?

HMS Cutlass turning to port (but not the port) brings HMS Badger out of arc. But has the plucky frigate got ideas of grandeur and is thinking of taking on the 74 gun San Francis?

HMS Agamennon was able to bring fire on San Francis (every dice I rolled turned out to be a 5 or a 6) and at long range did damage to the Spanish flagship. One can only imagine that Seb the captain will not take this lightly!

Mecedes and El Interceptor have the open sea ahead of them. As It stands only one British ship could possible stop them IF they choose to leave the table and create havoc in the Med!

Same ships just a different angle but with Unicornico in the background.

Unfortunately SS Guano took a Broadside from HMS Pachyderm. Fortunately only one shot hit. Unfortunately for Captain Mills is was enough. SS Guano is now sinking. Her Hull reduced to a sieve and the sea rushing in to fill it as the crew abandon ship. Sorry Lee no prize money here, that ship is bound for Davy Jones. Unlucky Millsy but you did carry the fight to the enemy to the last.

The Captured "Mermaids Revenge" will make it from the board next turn barring disasters or a Kraken. (There are no sea monsters in this game!)

So that is the end of turn 20. I will try to send out damage reports this afternoon. As always if you want, need or desire any more photos get in touch. I shall look forward to any orders the Saturday next week 8am as per normal. But for Now I am back to the painting.

A Big thanks to all the guys playing and with luck I will see you all on the internet very soon.

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Today we have a parting gift to Fran (AKA the Angry Lurker). Postie has a nickname for Fran of the "Kung fu Panda". Ray also has a nickname for him and Fran for Ray. And neither of them are "Golden drop of sunshine!". They are of course FULL of swearing and extracting the urine! So with no further ado here is Ping the Panda by "Bombshell miniatures!" A very nice if small sculpt of the big guy. I hasten to add that this is not Kung fu Panda as Bombshell call him Ping and any similarity between the two are purely coincidental.

As you can see from the second picture Nothing like him despite my painting trying to make them twins.

So I shoved the figure in the post and sent it to "Postie, somewhere in Gravesend" And that should be enough of an address for the Royal mail to have no idea. Maybe some random "postie" will benefit from this who can say.

Back in the painting challenge I have had a little upset. I spent2 days working on some (22) Sci Fi vehicles and when I looked at them this morning in the light I saw that I just could not be happy with them. So I have had to put them away for now, probably till next year as I sulk and brood about them. A word to the wise NEVER try to use an ORANGE wash on figures after 10pm. They really did look shite in the morning!

So here are a couple more shots of "Ping the panda" to be getting on with.

And now the 15mm Sci Fi is scrapped I will start some 28mm ACW in stead. The first 12 are primed and with luck I shall have them done by Tuesday which is my next scheduled challenge day post.

Thanks for looking. I shall start the ACW figures later this morning once the Primer is nice and dry!.